tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361535934739316898.post4617961408810188305..comments2024-03-27T06:04:27.389-07:00Comments on Autism - Day by Day: Operation Introduction: A Conversation with a CopDonna Ross-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05595963288108454694noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361535934739316898.post-32043623785045615432014-12-24T09:03:36.728-08:002014-12-24T09:03:36.728-08:00Cathy, thanks for commenting! I bought Karl a med...Cathy, thanks for commenting! I bought Karl a medic alert bracelet in bright orange and have instructed him to show it to the police if anything happens. We also tell him time and again to do WHATEVER the police tell him to do, no matter how upset he is. But I still fear for him that someday he will become so agitated and the police will think he''s dangerous and on some wild drug trip. Just one more fear in a long list for this autism mom.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361535934739316898.post-48978643694528575472014-12-22T10:11:11.173-08:002014-12-22T10:11:11.173-08:00I did get the officers name and I choose not to pu...I did get the officers name and I choose not to publish it. My thinking was two fold. One; this one cop was just the face on a problem that is most of our police and nothing would be gained by calling him individually. Two we need to help them help us and given the current climate we understand the problem is systemic I believe it will be up to us to make a different one police department at a time, vs waiting for change from the top down. Did I get it wrong? <br />Donna Ross-Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05595963288108454694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361535934739316898.post-27131520713952647422014-12-11T09:54:06.179-08:002014-12-11T09:54:06.179-08:00I've been a police officer for over 20 years, ...I've been a police officer for over 20 years, and I'm a single mom of a child on the spectrum. It's true that police don't get a lot of training on autism. I know more than most officers do about autism because of my child. My recommendations for Donna are as follows: <br />Don't rely on one random encounter with the police to introduce Nick to them. Go to the police station. Bring Nick. Introduce him to the officers there. Go more than once. Give the officers a picture of Nick with his name, your name, and your address and/or phone number and ask the Watch Commander to post it somewhere. Talk to the captain at the station. Ask about training. Offer to help. I've seen a lot of your posts and they are really good and could be used to train the officers.<br />This is subject worthy of pursuing and opening a dialogue.<br />Cathy RiggsAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01444334763884584666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5361535934739316898.post-60462647972906265142014-12-10T10:12:59.522-08:002014-12-10T10:12:59.522-08:00Donna, thank you for this snapshot that is so terr...Donna, thank you for this snapshot that is so terribly and horribly enlightening. The police officer who stated that the young man with autism who was shot (which he immediately and without any thought lumped in with other shootings) happened because "they have a gun, a knife, a sword or a toy that looks to be dangerous" is an apologist for the worst manifestation of policeman who is exactly the kind of officer who will shoot an unarmed person with autism and not feel any remorse. He needs to be put on desk duty. Did you get his name?Prudencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04641250425708324999noreply@blogger.com